We’ve all been there. The point where you’re done using the bathroom and go in for the flush. Then everything spirals out of control – literally! The water continues to rise to the brink of your toilet bowl, and to your dismay, it doesn’t seem like it’s stopping anytime soon. So, what do you do? Here’s the thing – at this point, if toilet water is predestined to be strewn about your bathroom floor, unfortunately, there’s not much you can do to stop it altogether. But there are a few things you can do to help minimize the aftermath! So, don’t panic; breathe and brace yourself. It will be okay! Then, follow these steps from your favorite Five Star Columbus Plumbing professionals.
Step One – First, Shut Off the Toilet’s Water Valve:
In the chaos of the moment, the best thing you can do is to shut off the water supply first and foremost. If you are not familiar with the location of this valve, try looking for the football-shaped valve located toward the back of the toilet base and turn it clockwise accordingly. But keep in mind, in the meantime, you should not flush the toilet again. Since there is a clog preventing the toilet from draining properly, it will only result in a larger mess if the toilet is flushed before everything is resolved.
Step Two – Next, Seal the Flapper Closed:
Now that you have shut off the water supply to the toilet, open the tank in the back of the toilet and look for the rubber circle inside of the tank. This rubber piece is placed over the tank drain there to keep water from running into the toilet unless the flush lever is pulled. The rubber seal should be attached to the end of a metal lever or chain, which is connected to the flush handle. You can gently push this rubber piece downward in order to provide extra assurance that the water is sealed.
Step – Three: Thirdly, Secure the Float:
Next, look for the float cup (or float ball), which is also located on the inside of the toilet tank. The float cup or float ball is placed there to regulate the water level in the toilet tank. To ensure the water is stopped from continuing to fill the tank, you can immobilize the float from moving.
Four – Fourthly, Remove the Excess Water:
When you have officially stopped the water flow, give yourself a pat on the back. Well done! You have stopped the issue at its source. However, the job isn’t done yet. Now it’s time to clean up! Start by removing the overfilled water from the toilet bowl – because once the toilet is working again, you don’t want it to overflow. In the unfortunate event there is waste or debris in the water (a possibility given the situation), be careful during your cleanup process. Safety and hygiene are always top priorities! We suggest grabbing a pair of gloves if possible. Start by picking up any solids/waste and carefully placing them in a trash bag. You can clean up the overfilled toilet bowl the ole’ fashion way with a handy dandy bucket or a container of some sort. Do this by slowly scooping the excess water out of the bowl and draining it directly into the bathtub or sink.
Secondly, think about those floors. The last thing you want is water damage to your floors. If you have a wet vacuum, now would be a good time to utilize it. If your flooring is solid, you can sop up the spill with old towels, rags, a mop, paper towels – whatever you have on hand. If the overflow somehow made its way over to a carpeted area, it would be best to lay towels flat over the carpet, directly placing a heavy object on top of them. This will give the towels time to soak up the water from the carpet. Make sure that when everything is drained, disposed of, and soaked up properly, proper steps for disinfecting the floors, as well as all areas in the bathroom that came into contact with the toilet water are taken.
Five – Lastly, Take Care of the Blockage:
With everything finally clean, grab your plunger and place it over the toilet drain at the bottom of the bowl. Make sure the plunger is covered in water, then utilize it to neutralize the clog. At this point, the toilet should drain, but in the case it seems like this does not resolve the issue, a larger plumbing issue may be at play. If so, this is a good indication that it is time to call in the professionals. However, if your toilet is indeed working again, that’s fantastic news! Congratulations are in order, as you certainly championed your way through it. But remember before wrapping up that you want to make sure everything is readjusted back to its original position, the tank cover is put back on, and the water valve is turned on once again.
If you have already tried multiple times to release the clog on your own, and it is still giving you problems, feel free to give us a call! We’d love to help! Call Five Star Columbus Plumbing today at (614) 401-8086 or schedule an appointment online now by clicking here! We’d be more than happy to help!
